EURO 2016: Ticket heartache expected for Northern Ireland fans

Thousands of Northern Ireland fans will be heading to France this summer.

Published:14:43Updated:15:10Tuesday 19 January 2016

Thousands of Northern Ireland fans are set to miss out on watching their team perform at this summer’s Euro 2016 finals.

It emerged on Monday that over 50,000 applications have been made for just 25,000 tickets for the three group games.

Northern Ireland have been allocated 6,000 tickets for their opening fixture against Poland in Nice on June 12.

There is a healthier allocation of 11,000 tickets for the second game against Ukraine in Lyon four days later, with the group finale against Germany in Paris offering up 8,000 tickets for supporters.

Applicants will be notified of the results of their application no later than February 29 – according to UEFA.

Tickets are to be allocated on a priority system which takes into account the previous buying behaviour of Northern Ireland fans throughout qualifying.

Further tickets for the games will go on general sale later this year.

Gary McAllister, the Chairman of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs, said: “There are 11,000 block bookers who go to Windsor park and support Northern Ireland regularly.

“Hopefully they can get to the three games, or the one game that they wish to go and see.

“For us it is important that those who have loyally supported the team over this campaign, home and away, and over a longer period, are the people who receive priority and get to go and support the team.”

About 800,000 tickets went on sale last month for fans of the 24 competing teams.